of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
October’s National Cenacle Reflection

October’s National Cenacle Reflection

In the Image of Divine Mercy Our Lord Jesus is walking towards us, offering us light against a dark background.

While He was in the Cross, Roman soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a lance to ensure that He was dead, and blood and water flowed from that wound ( John 19:34-35).  We see the blood and water reflected in the image of The Divine Mercy as red and white rays shining fourth from Jesu’s loving heart.  These rays reveal to us that salvation, love, and mercy pour from His wounds.

Jesus, Divine Mercy Incarnate assures us that He is always present with us.  His Divine Mercy, for which our hearts yearn, reaches out to us in many ways.  Often, Jesus offers us His mercy through the compassion of others, just as He directed Saint Faustina to be His messenger of mercy to the world. One way we experience Divine Mercy is our relationship with Our Lord’s Jesu’s mother, Mary.

Saint Faustina, who had such a deep communion with Jesus’ Divine Mercy, looked to Mary as her mother, bringing her closer to the mercy of Jesus.  A member of a religious congregation called “The Sisters of Divine Mercy,” Saint Faustina drew much solace from Mary.  She writes, “because I am so weak and inexperienced, I stay like a little child close to Mary’s Heart.”

For Saint Faustina, Mary was not just a mother but also a model.  Saint Faustina lived “ Divine Mercy” and Mary, Mother of Mercy, showed her the way.  For Saint Faustina, Mary was a model of the spiritual life, particularly in her trust and her humility.

Like Saint Faustina, we can grow in our understanding of how we live Divine Mercy by looking to Mary as our model.